Algorithms on Abercorn 2023

77 competitors assembled in Savannah, Georgia, USA on November 19, 2023, creating an intense atmosphere across 10 rounds of competition at the JEA - Jewish Educational Alliance venue. With 5 distinct events scheduled throughout the day, the single-day schedule demanded sharp physical endurance and sustained cognitive focus from everyone involved. High-complexity challenges like the 12-sided Megaminx set a grueling tone, testing who could manage turn-heavy stamina alongside sheer turning speed.

The 12-sided Megaminx offered the ultimate test of endurance, requiring players to track dozens of pieces across complex turning planes without losing concentration. Nicolás Sánchez took command of the 45-person field in this demanding long-format solve, securing victory with a winning average of 59.40 seconds and posting the best single of the day at 50.42. Katie Hull followed closely on the podium with a 1:06.60 average, while Alex Bohac secured third place with 1:07.37 in a rigorous contest of sheer mental stamina.

That foundational stamina paid huge dividends as the action moved into the classic Rubik's Cube. Sánchez carried his momentum straight into the flagship 3x3x3 Cube event, claiming another victory across three rounds. He led the final with a 7.48 average and a best single of 6.65 among 77 competitors. Andreas Lambropoulos took the second podium spot with an average of 8.41, while Katie Hull earned her second podium of the weekend by taking third in 8.94. The 3x3 results demonstrated exceptional consistency across repeated elimination stages.

Andreas Lambropoulos proved his versatility in 3x3x3 One-Handed, an event that demands exceptional finger strength, fine motor control, and endurance over long turning sequences. Lambropoulos captured the title with a 13.06 average, delivering an impressive 8.59 single in the 56-competitor bracket. Keon Wilson followed in second place with a 14.71 average, while Nicolás Sánchez earned another podium spot with 16.03 to place third, demonstrating his complete mastery across both two-handed and one-handed disciplines.

Speedcubing efficiency reached full flight during the Pyraminx rounds, where Keon Wilson posted a winning average of 2.29 along with a lightning-fast 1.86 best single among 62 competitors. Alik Cotton secured the silver step on the podium with an average of 3.88, while Henry Schueneman finished in third place with 3.95. The high-paced event contrasted sharply with the longer multi-face endurance puzzles, showing the broad range of skills needed at an official WCA competition.

The Skewb bracket brought further drama across its two rounds of competition. Kellan Butler won the event with a 5.16 average and a 4.36 single, navigating a tightly bunched field of 62 entrants. Nathan Smith took the runner-up position with a 5.28 average, edged out by a mere twelve hundredths of a second, while Katie Hull clinched third place with a 5.62 average. Hull concluded a standout campaign that included three separate podium finishes across different disciplines.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors made massive personal strides on the tournament floor. Cayden Wood chopped an extraordinary 66.4 percent off their Skewb personal best, lowering it to 14.18 seconds compared to the previous mark of 42.25. Santiago Bonet enjoyed a similar leap forward in Pyraminx, registering an 11.44 personal record to outpace their previous 33.62 best by 66 percent. Ashtyn Rummel took on 5 events and posted a 4.15 personal best in Pyraminx, an improvement of 59.8 percent, alongside a first ever attempt in Megaminx at 2:43.11 and 3x3x3 One-Handed at 16.04. Luke Ovcharov recorded an 8.16 personal best in Skewb, cutting 53.2 percent off their previous best, and completed a first ever attempt in Pyraminx with an 8.44 solve.

Fresh faces and multi-event challengers also defined the day. Patrick Bang improved his Skewb best by 46.6 percent down to 8.56 seconds while recording a first ever attempt in Megaminx of 3:31.66 and 3x3x3 One-Handed at 1:05.24. Taym Rihawi took on 5 events, earning an 8th-place finish in Pyraminx with a 3.37 personal best, improving by 30.5 percent, and dropping their Skewb mark by 38.4 percent to 3.23. Jackson Hollander completed first-time official attempts in Skewb at 11.29, Pyraminx at 13.89, and Megaminx at 4:21.99. Henry Traut, appearing in his first WCA competition, took on four events, highlighted by a first attempt of 7.28 in Skewb and a 31st-place finish in Pyraminx.

Every single podium place across all five events was claimed by competitors representing the USA, closing out Algorithms on Abercorn 2023 on a high note. The gathering delivered memorable moments for newcomers and seasoned competitors alike, proving that technical precision and physical stamina remain the true foundation of top-tier speed cubing performance as the community looks forward to the next season of competition.